The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) on Friday said officials from the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and Department of Agriculture (DA) should be removed after the unauthorized signing of document to import sugar.
In an interview with DZRH’s Dos Por Dos, SINAG President Rosendo So, said they think the authorities seated in the department is the problem.
“Sa tingin namin, taliwas sa direksyon ng ating Pangulo na ang pina-priority niya is ang local production, ang gusto ata ng DA ay importation. Ayun ang problema, yung mga tao dun sa loob,” So said.
“Dapat matanggal ang mga na-involve dito para at least hindi maulit,” he asserted.
So shared that DA and SRA officials didn’t mention the importation of 300 metric tons of sugar during their meeting, two days ago.
The authorities only claimed that there is a "shortfall" of the local sugar supply but said it lacked "100 metric tons" only, he added.
For So, the signing of documents on behalf of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. without his authorization is not acceptable.
“Hindi maganda 'yun kasi tayo na lang, hindi tayo nagpapa-pirma basta basta lalo na kung walang paalam. Eto, nag-import, hindi niya alam na siya pala [ang nag-approve]. Siya dapat ang mag preside,” he said.
But So pointed out that importing will not decrease the prices of sugar because the cost of fertilizer is high.
He said there should be a dialogue with local industry on how much they could produce to know how much to import.
“Balance lang ang ipasok. Every time na sosobra yan, madi-discourage ang ating magsasaka. Kagaya sa palay, ang self-sufficiency natin six years ago, 5 percent lang ang ini-import natin, 95 percent sa atin,” So said.
“Dapat yung local production ang dapat tutukan,” he added.
A document was uploaded on the SRA website on Wednesday, showing that Marcos approved the importation of 300 metric tons of sugar.
It was also signed by Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio S. Sebastian and SRA board members.
Malacañang on Thursday clarified that Marcos rejected the proposal to import and an investigation is being mounted over the illegal and unauthorized signing of the order.
